Last day of school ushers in carefree idyll for Staten Island pupils

Staten Island Advance/Jan Somma-HammelThe girls of summer: The sisters Carrillo, Julianne, 11, and Liandra, 10, get their games faces on.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- With a Dora the Explorer notepad and a sharpened No. 2 pencil in hand, 5-year-old Nicole Cafe dashed out of PS 52, Dongan Hills, for the last time this school year.

Like thousands of others in Staten Island's public schools today, Nicole celebrated the last day of the school year and the first afternoon of summer vacation. At PS 52, students poured out of school shortly before noon, carrying the last vestiges of academia -- backpacks, notebooks and folders. The talk turned from academics to summer fun. "I'm so happy that school is over! I'm going on a cruise to the Caribbean this summer. Maybe I'll go to a Disney park. I like going to parks because I love to play," said Nicole, of Dongan Hills.

Vivianna Novoselsky, 10, said she's excited for the end of the school year but will miss seeing her teachers and friends everyday.

"In the summer, I'm going swimming and fishing, and I'll have lots of sleep-overs and play with my friends. I'm excited for the fifth grade, because I'll be able to learn more about science, math, and literacy -- and I'll get to see all my friends again," said Vivianna, of Dongan Hills.

Sisters Julianne Carrillo, 11, and Liandra Carrillo, 10, of Dongan Hills, said they're happy to take a break from school. Liandra will attend summer camp for cheerleading in PS 52, and Julianne plans to host a bake sale to raise money for a new cell phone.

"Now that it's summer, we finally have time to do things we want to do!" said Liandra.